OK, great review. I really appreciate the amount of detail and specificity that you put into your write-up. Thank you for your efforts. The Ulysses is one that I've been hoping to hear soon, but I've not been able to get to a show in person recently. Yet. I keep wondering if my MC352 amplifier might be too much (or merely not necessary) for a speaker this sensitive. Moderate power tube amplifiers seem to be the direction Ulysses owners are going.
Review: Daedalus Ulysses V2 Speaker
Category: Speakers
Following is my review of my new Daedalus Ulysses V2 speakers
Lou Hinkley is an real craftman, musician and really stands behind his products. He got his start in audio building natural guitars amplifiers with impeccable speaker cabinetry . A number of professional musians praise his work. Since then Lou expanded to audio and his speakers have been getting major attention for being musical and very engaging. He shows at RMAF, Capitol and Axponea with a network of owners willing to give auditions as well as his northern Washington state shop. A quick google search will lead to glowing reviews and top system considerations. If you heard Lou's speakers in 2012 or before you haven't heard his V2 upgrade which is significant. Original owners are able to upgrade.
daedalusaudio.com
The Ulysses have two 8" woofer drivers - top and bottom, then two 3 1/2" midrange cones, in the center are two soft dome tweeters that are slightly offset and angled to provide both exceptional imaging and wide sweet spot listening. The drivers at made specically for Daedalus. The crossover's magic and seamless intergration of the drivers top to bottom is well executed. Lou uses the same high end wire in his speakers as the top of the line resolving Daedalus / Wywire speaker cable.The cabinets are solid wood with old world craftsmanship. You can see in the small back ports that the cabinet is 2 1/2 inches thick. The speakers have no resonance issues and disappear in the room
Oscar Wilde said - "forgive me for the long letter, I didn't have time to write a short one"
So excuse my lack of brevity
I received the speakers a couple months ago and they have such great synergy with my system
The speakers have been a real revelation for me.
I live in New Orleans - play a little upright bass and see a wide range of music constantly. My son is a music student and plays in several symphonic groups, acoustic guitar, piano and rock bands.
I always am looking first for very natural and neutral tonality. All too frequently that comes at the expense of resolution. Not with the Ulysses.
My room is 14 1/2 deep by 27 wide - my system is on the long wall (preferred orientation with the flow from room to room and view outside)
I am mostly analog on the front end
The high efficiency of the Ulysses has been a godsend. I was able to use my Atmasphere MA1s without strain on the otl which likes to see a high ohm load. Not so with lower efficiency 4-6 ohm speakers.The 80 watt Doshi J'Hor tubes i have are a godsend with the Ulysses.
Now the important part
The sound
The speakers
First and formost - the tonality was dead on. Resolution in spades Overtones, space - you could hear the subtle resonance of the stringed instruments. Very natural- seamless drivers top to bottom. Jazz, classical, acoustic, and rock - all dead on.
You could hear subtleties like slight differences it how loud or soft a drummer used his brushes, the guitarist playing further forward or towards the bridge, the open tones of a sax.
Events came in and faded very naturally. Lots of air around the instruments.
Another great thing was that a lot of speakers that play acoustic music well just don't have the punch for rock music. Not so at all. With the Daedalus The dynamic swings are dramatic and it doesn't take a lot of volume to get to a revealing and natural level of impact. Something a lot of speakers lack.Have your cake and eat it too
I love the concept of flat frequency to 30 hz. I've had speakers that go as low as 20 hertz and you sacrifice a lot to get there for diminishing returns. And it limits you to high powered amps that are generally solid state - not my cup of tea on the tonality end. The speakers were lacking nothing on the bottom end, excellent balance, tight natural and controlled bass from 8" drivers. That said my HT room has a JL Audio F113 that handles those subsonics that movie audio guys throw in for chest tingling impact. The sound you feel more than hear. Did not miss a sub or extra low end at all, in fact regarding my room the bass nodes for it's size wouldn 't like the lowest frequencies anyway. The Ulysses have a well defined and properly balanced low end. Much like you see in the range of real acoustic music. Jazz upright music I play around the house and know all too well - it was spot on. But throw on a driving rock or funk band and that low end was there
If you are seeking thunderous subsonic punch Lou makes the BOW subwoofer which integrates with his speakers.
I usually prefer a narrow point source for pinpoint imaging with minimal drivers. That is great but the sweet spot ends up being very narrow. Lou's slightly offset angled tweeter design is incredibly refined giving sharp imaging and placement both from left to right but also with depth and height. And the sweet spot is expanded dramatically. Symphonic and jazz music recorded with the ambiance aspects of the hall and musicians - with properly spaced out mics gave a holographic aspect.
Separation of instruments is also there in spades. The layering really broke out. You could feel the size and resonance of drums, the loudness and impact of various instruments and the intent of multi tracked studio masters. Wow. Take for example Crosby, Stills and Nash. I had a hard time distinguishing Crosby in the mix because his voice blended so well with Nash's. The separation with the Ulysses is so good you can hear the timbre in Crosby's voice and it's resonance very distinctly and it is a real treat.
There are too many recordings I could rave about - all but ones with serious flaws (loudness wars, or ear bleeding sharp high end) are engaging. Lou does provide a -0.5 and -1.0 db adjustment for bright recordings or equipment. The speakers are going to resolve everything in the source but without adding any coloration on their end. Too many critically lauded speakers color and distort the sound and I am always baffled audio gurus and audiophiles being enamored with them. Flashy sound that doesn't stand up to long listening sessions. Lou's speakers could be preceived as "mellow" when in reality they are really dead on. Detailed resolution and tonality. Not HiFi - they let the warmth of the music come through. Importantly I did not feel any aspect of listening fatigue and I am very sensitive to high frequencies. I listen for long periods of time
The speakers really disappear in the room, except visually that is, for their exquisite woodworking. You can tell Lou's guitar amp cabinet designs have had a nice impact on his 2 channel speaker designs and relevant resulting sound. A labor of love and old world craftsmanship
I am really rediscovering my musical collection, probably for the forth time with major upgrades, seeking out original UK vinyl releases, etc. to capture everything possible in the performance.
The very best i can get. Sleep deprivation and cancelling my direct tv to spend most of my time at home listening to music.
As nice as a major audio component is a key factor in your system, and it is critical, is whether the manufacturer stands behind it. I have built my system from the ground up using many great indiependant direct manufacturers. Word of mouth, reviews and stellar designs. I owe many of you on audiogon for my great sonic discoveries. Lou is a really incredible person and so concerned about your audio satisfaction. I bought my speakers second hand and he treated me as if I were an original owner. He walked me through the V2 upgrade he performed and kept me informed and made sure things were optimally set up, we discussed synergy with my amp options, break in characteristics (take your time - not 24/7) etc and gave room and positioning suggestions. His speakers don't come up often on the used market - the owners love them and are not parting with them. The person I bought my speakers from saw a post of mine regarding looking for someone to host an audition. He bought a smaller Daedalus speaker in their line to match going to a smaller room. Lou is still following up with me. I can't say enough about Lou, he really stands behind his product and is a great guy.
Thank you again Lou, in fact I can't thank you enough
Anyone considering a modest priced speaker with beautiful, engaging presentation should consider the Ulysses or one of the other Daedalus speakers
I am raptured by the passion of the music, not equipment
Associated gear
Click to view my Virtual System
Following is my review of my new Daedalus Ulysses V2 speakers
Lou Hinkley is an real craftman, musician and really stands behind his products. He got his start in audio building natural guitars amplifiers with impeccable speaker cabinetry . A number of professional musians praise his work. Since then Lou expanded to audio and his speakers have been getting major attention for being musical and very engaging. He shows at RMAF, Capitol and Axponea with a network of owners willing to give auditions as well as his northern Washington state shop. A quick google search will lead to glowing reviews and top system considerations. If you heard Lou's speakers in 2012 or before you haven't heard his V2 upgrade which is significant. Original owners are able to upgrade.
daedalusaudio.com
The Ulysses have two 8" woofer drivers - top and bottom, then two 3 1/2" midrange cones, in the center are two soft dome tweeters that are slightly offset and angled to provide both exceptional imaging and wide sweet spot listening. The drivers at made specically for Daedalus. The crossover's magic and seamless intergration of the drivers top to bottom is well executed. Lou uses the same high end wire in his speakers as the top of the line resolving Daedalus / Wywire speaker cable.The cabinets are solid wood with old world craftsmanship. You can see in the small back ports that the cabinet is 2 1/2 inches thick. The speakers have no resonance issues and disappear in the room
Oscar Wilde said - "forgive me for the long letter, I didn't have time to write a short one"
So excuse my lack of brevity
I received the speakers a couple months ago and they have such great synergy with my system
The speakers have been a real revelation for me.
I live in New Orleans - play a little upright bass and see a wide range of music constantly. My son is a music student and plays in several symphonic groups, acoustic guitar, piano and rock bands.
I always am looking first for very natural and neutral tonality. All too frequently that comes at the expense of resolution. Not with the Ulysses.
My room is 14 1/2 deep by 27 wide - my system is on the long wall (preferred orientation with the flow from room to room and view outside)
I am mostly analog on the front end
The high efficiency of the Ulysses has been a godsend. I was able to use my Atmasphere MA1s without strain on the otl which likes to see a high ohm load. Not so with lower efficiency 4-6 ohm speakers.The 80 watt Doshi J'Hor tubes i have are a godsend with the Ulysses.
Now the important part
The sound
The speakers
First and formost - the tonality was dead on. Resolution in spades Overtones, space - you could hear the subtle resonance of the stringed instruments. Very natural- seamless drivers top to bottom. Jazz, classical, acoustic, and rock - all dead on.
You could hear subtleties like slight differences it how loud or soft a drummer used his brushes, the guitarist playing further forward or towards the bridge, the open tones of a sax.
Events came in and faded very naturally. Lots of air around the instruments.
Another great thing was that a lot of speakers that play acoustic music well just don't have the punch for rock music. Not so at all. With the Daedalus The dynamic swings are dramatic and it doesn't take a lot of volume to get to a revealing and natural level of impact. Something a lot of speakers lack.Have your cake and eat it too
I love the concept of flat frequency to 30 hz. I've had speakers that go as low as 20 hertz and you sacrifice a lot to get there for diminishing returns. And it limits you to high powered amps that are generally solid state - not my cup of tea on the tonality end. The speakers were lacking nothing on the bottom end, excellent balance, tight natural and controlled bass from 8" drivers. That said my HT room has a JL Audio F113 that handles those subsonics that movie audio guys throw in for chest tingling impact. The sound you feel more than hear. Did not miss a sub or extra low end at all, in fact regarding my room the bass nodes for it's size wouldn 't like the lowest frequencies anyway. The Ulysses have a well defined and properly balanced low end. Much like you see in the range of real acoustic music. Jazz upright music I play around the house and know all too well - it was spot on. But throw on a driving rock or funk band and that low end was there
If you are seeking thunderous subsonic punch Lou makes the BOW subwoofer which integrates with his speakers.
I usually prefer a narrow point source for pinpoint imaging with minimal drivers. That is great but the sweet spot ends up being very narrow. Lou's slightly offset angled tweeter design is incredibly refined giving sharp imaging and placement both from left to right but also with depth and height. And the sweet spot is expanded dramatically. Symphonic and jazz music recorded with the ambiance aspects of the hall and musicians - with properly spaced out mics gave a holographic aspect.
Separation of instruments is also there in spades. The layering really broke out. You could feel the size and resonance of drums, the loudness and impact of various instruments and the intent of multi tracked studio masters. Wow. Take for example Crosby, Stills and Nash. I had a hard time distinguishing Crosby in the mix because his voice blended so well with Nash's. The separation with the Ulysses is so good you can hear the timbre in Crosby's voice and it's resonance very distinctly and it is a real treat.
There are too many recordings I could rave about - all but ones with serious flaws (loudness wars, or ear bleeding sharp high end) are engaging. Lou does provide a -0.5 and -1.0 db adjustment for bright recordings or equipment. The speakers are going to resolve everything in the source but without adding any coloration on their end. Too many critically lauded speakers color and distort the sound and I am always baffled audio gurus and audiophiles being enamored with them. Flashy sound that doesn't stand up to long listening sessions. Lou's speakers could be preceived as "mellow" when in reality they are really dead on. Detailed resolution and tonality. Not HiFi - they let the warmth of the music come through. Importantly I did not feel any aspect of listening fatigue and I am very sensitive to high frequencies. I listen for long periods of time
The speakers really disappear in the room, except visually that is, for their exquisite woodworking. You can tell Lou's guitar amp cabinet designs have had a nice impact on his 2 channel speaker designs and relevant resulting sound. A labor of love and old world craftsmanship
I am really rediscovering my musical collection, probably for the forth time with major upgrades, seeking out original UK vinyl releases, etc. to capture everything possible in the performance.
The very best i can get. Sleep deprivation and cancelling my direct tv to spend most of my time at home listening to music.
As nice as a major audio component is a key factor in your system, and it is critical, is whether the manufacturer stands behind it. I have built my system from the ground up using many great indiependant direct manufacturers. Word of mouth, reviews and stellar designs. I owe many of you on audiogon for my great sonic discoveries. Lou is a really incredible person and so concerned about your audio satisfaction. I bought my speakers second hand and he treated me as if I were an original owner. He walked me through the V2 upgrade he performed and kept me informed and made sure things were optimally set up, we discussed synergy with my amp options, break in characteristics (take your time - not 24/7) etc and gave room and positioning suggestions. His speakers don't come up often on the used market - the owners love them and are not parting with them. The person I bought my speakers from saw a post of mine regarding looking for someone to host an audition. He bought a smaller Daedalus speaker in their line to match going to a smaller room. Lou is still following up with me. I can't say enough about Lou, he really stands behind his product and is a great guy.
Thank you again Lou, in fact I can't thank you enough
Anyone considering a modest priced speaker with beautiful, engaging presentation should consider the Ulysses or one of the other Daedalus speakers
I am raptured by the passion of the music, not equipment
Associated gear
Click to view my Virtual System